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The Biggest Oscar Snubs of 2023 (Sorry, Viola Davis)

The 2023 Oscar nominations are finally here, and while we’re thrilled for the deserving nominees, we couldn’t help but notice there were quite a few celebs and movies that were left off the list. (FYI, the 95th annual ceremony will take place on March 12.)

From Viola Davis to Taylor Swift, keep reading for all the biggest Oscar snubs of 2023.

oscars snubs viola davis the woman king
Karwai Tang/WireImage

1. Viola Davis

Viola Davis was snubbed from the Best Actress category, even though many believed she would receive a nomination for playing Nanisca in The Woman King. Speaking of…

2. The Woman King

The film wasn’t nominated for Best Picture, which came as a big surprise to fans. In fact, the entire cast was overlooked in the Best Actor/Actress categories for both leading and supporting roles.

3. Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s song from Where the Crawdads Sing, “Carolina,” has been nominated for multiple awards, including a Critics’ Choice, a Golden Globe and a Grammy. But it wasn’t nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song. Instead, the Academy nominated tracks from Tell It like a Woman, Top Gun: Maverick, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, RRR and Everything Everywhere All at Once.

oscar snubs Baz Luhrmann
Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

4. Baz Luhrmann

Elvis received multiple nominations, including Best Picture, Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design and Best Actor (Austin Butler). But the film’s director, Baz Luhrmann, didn’t get a nod.

oscar snubs tom hanks
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

5. Tom Hanks

There were two nomination possibilities for Tom Hanks: A Man Called Otto and Elvis. However, the actor wasn’t honored for either project.

6. The Whale

The film didn’t make the cut for Best Picture among other nominees, like All Quiet on the Western Front, Avatar: The Way of Water, The Banshees of Inisherin, Elvis, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Fabelmans, Tár, Top Gun: Maverick, Triangle of Sadness and Women Talking. On the bright side, star Brendan Fraser was nominated for Best Actor.

7. Danielle Deadwyler

While Till was snubbed in many categories, the most shocking exclusion was Danielle Deadwyler in the Best Actress category. (FYI, she portrayed Mamie Till-Mobley.)

8. Janelle Monáe

Critics thought an Oscar nomination for Janelle Monáe was a given, based on her portrayal of two characters—Andi and Helen Brand—in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Unfortunately, she wasn’t included in the Best Actress category.

oscar snubs female directors
Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images & Arturo Holmes/WireImage & Unique Nicole/Getty Images

9. Female Directors

Despite the many possibilities, the Academy didn’t honor any female directors. Many fans expected at least one woman—like Sarah Polley (Women Talking), Chinonye Chukwu (Till) or Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Woman King)—to receive a nomination, but that wasn’t the case.

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Greta Heggeness

Senior Editor

Greta Heggeness is a California-based editor at PureWow and has been writing about entertainment since 2015. She covers everything from awards shows to exclusive celebrity...
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